Equally Obnoxious Hockey Trash Talk Thread, eh?

[arturo7]

It really wouldn't be a significant advantage.

Au contaire, mon ami. Statistically, this advantage is quite significant.

 

[jtkratzer]

Anybody watching the Flyers/Lightning on Versus? The Lightning are playing a worse game than the Devils played in the late 90s keeping everyone outside of the Flyers' zone at the blue line. It looks like a 1-3-1 but they're not attacking the Flyers' zone at all once the Flyers get possession. It's brutal.

 

[emjay]

Au contaire, mon ami. Statistically, this advantage is quite significant.

I didn't mean statistically "significant". I meant it in a relative sense (eg relative to the geographic bias). A .5% advantage can be statistically significant, but compared to other influences, it might not be relatively significant.

How about I just replace the word with "substantial"? Would that make you feel better?

 

[jtkratzer]

The intermission analysts are ripping Guy Boucher and the Lightning apart for making no attempt to play the game just sitting back doing nothing.

 

[arturo7]

How about I just replace the word with "substantial"? Would that make you feel better?

Nope.

3 teams in a division missing the playoffs vs 4 teams missing the playoffs is huge. The current system of the top 8 teams of each conference, regardless of division, is far superior.

Rivalries might sell more tickets, but playing a high proportion of inner-division games hurts teams in strong divisions. The optimal schedule would have each team playing an equal number of games against each other team.

Additionally, allowing eastern teams an easier travel schedule gives those teams an inequitable advantage over the course of the season. Separating teams by east/west is a poor way to set up the league, it will always favor eastern teams. All teams should have the same amount of travel. Unfortunately, the whiny bvtches on the East Coast would be up in arms were such a logical system implemented.

 

[copyright1997]

Anybody watching the Flyers/Lightning on Versus? The Lightning are playing a worse game than the Devils played in the late 90s keeping everyone outside of the Flyers' zone at the blue line. It looks like a 1-3-1 but they're not attacking the Flyers' zone at all once the Flyers get possession. It's brutal.

Didn't watch the game, but have seen the Lightning play the 1-3-1 many times against Pittsburgh....quite effective for them (usually).

 

[copyright1997]

Nope.

3 teams in a division missing the playoffs vs 4 teams missing the playoffs is huge. The current system of the top 8 teams of each conference, regardless of division, is far superior.

Rivalries might sell more tickets, but playing a high proportion of inner-division games hurts teams in strong divisions. The optimal schedule would have each team playing an equal number of games against each other team.

Additionally, allowing eastern teams an easier travel schedule gives those teams an inequitable advantage over the course of the season. Separating teams by east/west is a poor way to set up the league, it will always favor eastern teams. All teams should have the same amount of travel. Unfortunately, the whiny bvtches on the East Coast would be up in arms were such a logical system implemented.

Agree with what you say here (mostly), except that I would prefer that it be more difficult to make the playoffs. With today's system, over 1/2 of the teams (16 of 30) have an equal chance to win the Stanley Cup so other than home ice advantage there is no advantage to winning the conference. Winning the division does guarantee you make the top 8, but the probability of not making the top 8 in terms of points and winning one of the divisions is pretty slim! I realize what I'm proposing will never happen due to perceived revenue for the playoffs, but having a system a bit closer to the NFL (in terms of making the playoffs, not the playoffs themselves) might make for even better end of season drama (and drive revenue on those end of season games).

 

[jtkratzer]

Nope.

3 teams in a division missing the playoffs vs 4 teams missing the playoffs is huge. The current system of the top 8 teams of each conference, regardless of division, is far superior.

Rivalries might sell more tickets, but playing a high proportion of inner-division games hurts teams in strong divisions. The optimal schedule would have each team playing an equal number of games against each other team.

Additionally, allowing eastern teams an easier travel schedule gives those teams an inequitable advantage over the course of the season. Separating teams by east/west is a poor way to set up the league, it will always favor eastern teams. All teams should have the same amount of travel. Unfortunately, the whiny bvtches on the East Coast would be up in arms were such a logical system implemented.

There is no way to divide the league for equal travel. There are some teams who are so far apart that they will always have rough travel schedules. Phoenix, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Dallas, other than each other - Florida and Tampa Bay, Colorado, etc. These teams travel in excess of 1,000 miles to most of their games. You cannot equally split the travel when you have teams spread out like that. Sure, you can increase travel for teams in the Eastern Conference, but to do so by making them play Western teams, you increase the travel for the Western teams to go east.

I had this debate on hockeyforum.com last year. Check out this thread:
http://www.hockeyforum.com/nhl-forum/63866-re-alignment-scoring-scheduling-league.html

It gets into the weeds of league/team operating expenses and mileage.

 

[emjay]

Agree with what you say here (mostly), except that I would prefer that it be more difficult to make the playoffs. With today's system, over 1/2 of the teams (16 of 30) have an equal chance to win the Stanley Cup so other than home ice advantage there is no advantage to winning the conference. Winning the division does guarantee you make the top 8, but the probability of not making the top 8 in terms of points and winning one of the divisions is pretty slim! I realize what I'm proposing will never happen due to perceived revenue for the playoffs, but having a system a bit closer to the NFL (in terms of making the playoffs, not the playoffs themselves) might make for even better end of season drama (and drive revenue on those end of season games).

You missed the whole point of seeding. Don't know if you've personally competed in anything where you had to be seeded, but being seeded last SUCKS. It's a total uphill battle. You start out playing the team considered to be "the best". If you're going for the Stanley Cup, you have to beat everyone anyways, though if you look at historical results, the last-seeded teams simply do not win nearly as much as, for example, President's Trophy winners.

Also, home team advantage in the NHL isn't some sort of intangible thing like it is in many sports. Home team gets the benefit of last change, which is actually pretty significant.

 

[Beezy]

Word is Crosby just made the All Star ballot. THAT is how good he is

 

[emjay]

He's good, but ever since he was up for the draft I felt he was overrated and overhyped.

 

[jtkratzer]

Word is Crosby just made the All Star ballot. THAT is how good he is

That's bull**** is what it is. The All Star event is for the stars for that season and he's currently tied for last place with 0 points. What a farce.

 

[Beezy]

He's good, but ever since he was up for the draft I felt he was overrated and overhyped.

And then he lived up to all the hype and you still feel that way. Typical.

 

[paulster2626]

That's bull**** is what it is. The All Star event is for the stars for that season and he's currently tied for last place with 0 points. What a farce.

Agreed. Didn't see Savard on that ballot the past couple of seasons. Reimer's helped the Leafs stay on top of the Eastern Conference, and is now out with a concussion. is he up for some votes?

 

[emjay]

And then he lived up to all the hype

See, I don't agree with that.

 

[DangerRoss]

It's about an hour until Wild vs Sharks, and my goal is to kill this corny keg before the end of the game. There is about a 1/4 left of a Surly Furious clone. LET'S GO WILD!!!

 

[Beezy]

I don't agree with it either I just thought it would be a good subject for this thread. Polamalu actually made the probowl after being on IR all year. So dumb.

 

[Beezy]

See, I don't agree with that.

What would he need to do to live up to it in your mind?

 

[emjay]

What would he need to do to live up to it in your mind?

Turn water into wine?

 

[Bulls Beers]

Man, Those pesky Bruins win again. They beat Edmonton with another 6 goal game..4 in a roll and rolling...

 

[copyright1997]

You missed the whole point of seeding. Don't know if you've personally competed in anything where you had to be seeded, but being seeded last SUCKS. It's a total uphill battle. You start out playing the team considered to be "the best". If you're going for the Stanley Cup, you have to beat everyone anyways, though if you look at historical results, the last-seeded teams simply do not win nearly as much as, for example, President's Trophy winners.

Also, home team advantage in the NHL isn't some sort of intangible thing like it is in many sports. Home team gets the benefit of last change, which is actually pretty significant.

I'm very aware of seeding (and re-seeding) and last change and also aware of things like the visiting team center needing to have his stick down first for a face off.

You see, I've been watching hockey for over 40 years. I also played as a kid.
I even remember when two-line passes where illegal:cross:

Let's see, how does hockey compare to other sports?
1. America's #1 sport: Football. In the NFL, 12 of 32 teams (37.5%) make the playoffs. Even better, the top two seeds in each conference get a bye.
2.Baseball: Only 8 of 30 teams (26.7%). I think this is a bit TOO low.
3.Basketball: 16 of 30 teams (53%), same as hockey but even more crazy as they don't reseed after the first round (at least hockey gets this part right).

Look, I'm not saying I don't think its tougher for an 8th seeded team to win the Stanley Cup than a 1st seeded team. I'm also not saying I don't like the playoffs - I love watching them. What I am trying to say that having more than 50% of the teams make the playoffs "cheapens" the value of the regular season as compared to baseball and football, and it causes the playoff period to take too long.

 

[Beezy]

Turn water into wine?

Well whatever it's not the kids fault. I think he has held up his end of the bargain. I couldn't be happier he plays for my favorite team (when healthy)

 

[jtkratzer]

Well whatever it's not the kids fault. I think he has held up his end of the bargain. I couldn't be happier he plays for my favorite team (when healthy)

You'd be even happier if he wasn't a whiny, pathetic little b*tch.

 

[Beezy]

You'd be even happier if he wasn't a whiny, pathetic little b*tch.

That describes you better.

 

[solbes]

Man, Those pesky Bruins win again. They beat Edmonton with another 6 goal game..4 in a roll and rolling...

Thanks for beating Edmonton, pesky Oilers. Wild lost. so this certainly helps.

 

[paulster2626]

Toronto winning more games they shouldn't be. I can get used to this, but I'd rather have a team that is actually good to cheer for. The ice in St. Louis looked really small last night for some reason.

 

[Homercidal]

Good to see the Leafs doing something this year. Their fans have stuck by them for a long time.

 

[StittsvilleJames]

Toronto winning more games they shouldn't be. I can get used to this, but I'd rather have a team that is actually good to cheer for. The ice in St. Louis looked really small last night for some reason.

Thats cuz Kessel is a fat kid who makes any ice look small.

 

[paulster2626]

Thats cuz Kessel is a fat kid who makes any ice look small.

He's so fast this year though. 12 goals already, too. What a player! Ugly mug though, I mean really ugly...

 

[jtkratzer]

That describes you better.

We'll see all the b*tching when the Flyers come to Pittsburgh and bring Talbot and Jagr with them. Then we'll see who's whining.